We'll Face It Together
by HaloHunter89
Summary: [Caryl] Takes place after the events of season 5 mid season finale. The pain and anguish of loss can rip the scabs off old wounds making things seem more bleak then they are. Carol refuses to let him dwell and seeks Daryl as they stop for the night. [ONE SHOT]


**Takes place after the events of season five mid-season finale! Hope you like this VicKiH I wrote it for you :D**

Carol watched him as he walked around the fire not looking or speaking to anyone. He'd been like this for days retreating into himself so far that her nor Rick could reach him it seemed. Sure he answered them one way or another but he was lost.

Carol sighed and pushed herself standing unable to watch the pain that the fire lit up in his eyes. Her simple huff at his movements and act of turning her back on him had her missing the way his eyes followed her every steps and movement. If she had watched she might have stood and waited on him but she wasn't and so she walked away.

Daryl turned and walked the opposite way. He left everyone and moved out further than the people on watch were even at. Carol seen him move away after she had gotten to the truck but that was as far as she got before Rick approached her. She seen the same concern in his face for the man who was near and dear to their hearts.

"Has he said anything?" Rick questioned. He was on watch but moved closer to her.

Carol looked to where she could barely make out the wings moving out of the fire light. "No."

Rick made a noise in his throat, "Carol I'm worried...this you were there for Merle and got him out of his head." He looked like he was grasping at straws, "Do you think maybe you can try whatever you done then?"

Carol wanted to help him and nodded along with Rick's words. He pulled her into a hug and she smiled at the warmth of it. Rick was like a brother despite the rough waters they'd traveled not long ago. He walked away going back on watch and Carol took off after the direction Daryl went. Coming up on Glenn on watch he just pointed and she nodded trailing after Daryl silently.

The moon was high in the sky and the air was nipping at her making it seem more cool then it was. She could hear a rhythmic scrape and smiled picking her steps up. She found him at the base of an old oak leaned back with a wet stone out working on his hunting knife. He didn't look up but shifted enough to where she could lean into the tree. She took it as invitation and settled next to him.

His breathing was stilted and she realized at that moment that he had escaped not just to be alone but because it was finally catching up. He was fighting it but she knew it was bubbling to the surface.

"You know Sophia always love clear nights like this." Carol looked over when his knife stopped moving. "I use to always walk her out when it was this clear so we could look at the stars."

Daryl looked up and Carol smiled elbowing him and getting his attention, "She would make stories up to go with the constellations."

He gave her a sad smile, "I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse, "I never-I never apologized for not getting her back to you."

Carol shook her head at his words, "Daryl you're the only one holding on to that. I miss her and I'll love my daughter till the day I die but that wasn't on you."

"Beth." His voice cracked, "Maggie she blames me."

Carol spun and looked at him, "Do you really think that?"

Carol knew Maggie didn't blame him and maybe Daryl had really been so lost to his mind that he didn't see things that the others had. Maggie was just as concerned as the others. "Daryl look at me." When he didn't she slapped his wet stone from his hands but still he kept his eyes down. Carol blew out a breath but she felt him pulling away.

"She was another girl who was lost cause of me Carol." The pain in his voice broke her heart and Carol moved suddenly wrapping her arms around him.

He didn't move to hug her back but she just held on to him. He was breathing hard, "Daryl what happened at Grady is no more your fault than it is mine." Carol hugged him tighter and she felt his arms wrap around her finally pulling her tighter against him. The move almost had her in his lap as his face buried in her neck. "Things happen in this world and there is nothing that can be done about it. We grieve and mourn the lost but we don't let their deaths be a slow death for us."

He nodded against her throat and the movement had his lips brushing her. She felt heat scorch through her body but stuffed it down. Now wasn't the time for that.

He held her still and she wasn't sure how long they stayed like that but she didn't move and he made no move to let her go. She wasn't sure she would be able to ever let him go. She had thought she'd lost him forever but now that she had him back she felt desperate to keep him close to her.

She felt his thumb after a while making small circles on a patch of exposed skin on her lower back. That heat returned with a vengeance and she shuddered against him.

"You cold?" His breath fanned over her throat and face as he leaned back from her. He was looking at her face so intently and she had to swallow. She loved this man in front of her more than she thought anyone could have the capacity to love.

Shaking her head no he raised a brow as a another shudder went up her body as his thumb pressed a little lower and firmer into her. She smiled at him letting her hand drift down his chest slightly from her hold on him. When she got to his ribs she circled her own fingers over the soft fabric of his shirt.

Daryl was a simple kind of man but he was something that Carol loved and understood, they understood each other. She couldn't look away from the raw emotion swirling freely in his eyes even as his lips parted and her name left his mouth trying to get her attention. For once he wasn't hiding behind his walls and she was fascinated by all that he was letting her see.

She gasped when he suddenly was leaning into her his hot mouth welding to hers. She felt his hand sliding up her back to hold on to her shoulder as te other tangled in her short hair and angling her head the way he wanted.

Carol moaned against his lips and smiled swinging her leg over his lap. Straddling him she leaned more into him and he grunted breaking the kiss. Breathing heavy looking at her she took a chance and lifted her arms after shrugging out of coat. Her shirt followed soon and her bra both falling away. He made no move to stop her as he silently watched her his eyes taking her in with a heat that had the air around them warming and holding off the chill of the night air.

His hands grasped her hips and sliding her more firmly into his lap. She bit her lip when she felt him pressing into her heat and he let go of her hips. His hands began sliding up her ribs the roughness of his hands making small panting breaths to rush from her lungs as his hands slid around to her breast. Palming them he met her eyes and smirked his face flushing as his thumbs stroked her nipples causing them to harden further.

"You're beautiful." The hoarse tone of his voice mixing with the lust and longing had he rocking her hips. He grunted and met her eyes again his thumbs pressing her more.

Carol started working his shirt open and he let her push it open but made no move to take his hands from her body. She smiled and her own hands started sliding along his torso mapping and learning every dip, scar, curve, and inch of him.

Carol ran her hands down to his waist and smiled when the muscles in his stomach jerked as her fingers dipped below the band of his jeans. He was breathing heavier now and she started working his belt open. He copied her and let his hands slide down to her hips but caught her wrist and pushed her hands to her own jeans. Carol looked at him briefly before taking the hint and standing up and pushing her own jeans down her legs. She wasn't going to question this but instead just let herself feel.

Daryl looked up her body his eyes lingering on different areas before coming back to her eyes. He motioned her to him and Carol straddled him again feeling him brush against her core. She sucked in a breath as he bit his lip but she leaned into him kissing him again. Moving her hand back to his body to continue her exploration she took him in her hand and he groaned against her lips as she pumped her hand.

"Shit Carol." He grunted as his hips lifted into her hand.

Carol leaned back and she smiled as his hands slid over her hips and stomach before dipping lower. He was learning her just as much as she was him. When his fingers first traced her slit she nodded encouraging him and he pressed forward. Carol's breathing changed and she lost her patience when his fingers sunk into her. She wanted him.

"Daryl." Carol waited till he met her eyes, "I want this...but I want more than just this." She planted her hands on his chest leaned forward and looking at him closely, "I've loved you for so long."

The smile that split across his face was accompanied by a deep blush. He nodded at her and then looked up at her through the moonlight. His face was serious again and she seen something flicker in his eyes, "I thought I lost you Carol, not just thought. I...I when it all happened the prison...Terminus, fucking Grady I was sure my luck had run out. I never told you shit and you just kept getting taken before I got the nerve." He met her eyes again, "I love you and if something had happened to you I wouldn't be able to take this shit."

Carol finally understood just why he'd been the way he had. It all made sense to her finally. It wasn't just that Beth was reminding him or Sophia and he was mourning both girls again. No it as also that he'd been struggling with his emotions and everything that had happened to her. SHe should have known after they'd taken off together to find Beth but she hadn't even took a moment to think over those nights with everything that had happened.

"Then don't leave me." Carol smiled at him before grasping him and sinking down his length without warning.

Daryl's nostril's flared and his eyes darkened quickly. She felt his body jerk under her hand as she pushed him deeper into her. When she was fully settled over him and he was as deep as she could take him both of them were breathing hard. Carol knew she was going to last and wrapped her arms around him. The feeling of her breast scraping over his chest hair as she lifted her hips in time with his thrust was only building her up faster.

Daryl was kissing his way up her throat to the spot just below her ear. His breathing was heavy and she felt him smiling into her throat. "I love you." He growled when he snapped his hips up into her harder. Carol nodded digging her nails into him and held on encouraging him.

"Again." Carol panted her body arching into his.

Daryl kept his arm around her waist so she leaned back riding him and watching him. When his eyes looked up her body meeting her own again it was all it took to send her over the edge. He wasn't hiding anymore from her and he was the man she needed and loved. He followed close behind her both of them panting and clinging to the other trying to get their hearts under control.

He kept his arms around her and she snuggled into him further after they had dressed. She hadn't given much thought to the people on watch and it was a little late now but Daryl had come out far enough she doubted they seen anything.

"What about tomorrow?" Carol questioned her head laying against his chest the strong beat of his heart starting to lull her.

His chin settled on her head and his fingers started tracing patterns again. Carol smiled when she realized it was the constellations.

"We'll face it together."


End file.
